Drain valve control for ice cube machine

Abstract

An ice machine control having a dump valve in the water circulation system for diverting water from the mold so that the system is cleared of unwanted water at the start of an ice making cycle, while the ice mold is allowed to cool to well below freezing before water begins to circulate over the mold.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. In an ice making machine having separate ice making and ice harvesting cycles and having an evaporator and an ice mold, a water circulation system comprising a pump for circulating water over the mold during the ice making cycle, a reservoir for supplying water to the pump and for holding water which has flowed over the mold and fresh water that is added to the system, a circuit for stopping the pump at the end of the ice making cycle to preclude water from circulating over the mold and to initiate the ice harvesting cycle, a circuit for starting the pump at the end of the ice harvesting cycle to initiate the next ice making cycle, and means including a dump valve and a circuit for purging the reservoir of water that has flowed over the mold and for diverting the flow of water from the mold during the ice making cycle, the circuit including a timing device for opening the dump valve at the start of the ice making cycle so that the ice making cycle starts with a period for purging the reservoir of water that has flowed over the mold and for cooling the mold before fresh water is circulated thereover. 
     
     
       2. The combination of claim 1 in which the ice machine includes means for heating the mold during the ice harvesting cycle. 
     
     
       3. The combination of claim 1 in which the reservoir is disposed under the mold and collects melt water from the harvesting ice. 
     
     
       4. The combination of claim 1 in which the ice machine includes a compressor and a condenser to circulate refrigerant to the evaporator during the ice making cycle. 
     
     
       5. The combination of claim 1 in which the timing device is manually adjusted for the operative time the dump valve is open.